Devils Lake inter-ocean. (Devils Lake, Ramsey Co., Dakota [N.D.]) 1884-1905, 1887-12-31

I6
nall "a SOUND Always welcome, LOT We
were hungry enough to make the coming
Of our miserable dinner q great event.
The door was unlocked-only one was
Kept fastened tn the daytime now-our
food was handed tn and the door locked as
usual, whle the company moved on to
give rations to the other prisoners.
Again we heard the shutting feet in the
hall as the walters returned. For a mo-
ment I felt q sharp, knifelike pang shoot
to my heart. So keen was it that I
thought for a moment that my physical
strength was about to tail In this time
Of sore need-something that had never
happaned or even been feared before, tos
always In the presence Of danger I had
possessed more than usual power. But In
an instant 1t passed away, and I looked
about to ses II all were at their post. A
glance was enough t show that there
would be no flinching. The men looked
pale, but their teeth were firmly set, and
they were leaning slightly forward like a
horse stratning on the bride. II there
was any fear it was that they would
strike ever too oon As for Capt. Fry,
whom I had seen weeping a few moments
before, he was perfectly calm and his face
wore g pleasant smile.
As the TALLER unlocked and opened the
door for the bread pans to DO passed out,
Fry stepped forward In such q manner
that 1t could not be closed, and said very
quietly as II 1t were the most natural
thing In the world:
"a pleasant evening, Mr.. Turner"
We had no thought Of hurting tho old
man il it could possibly be avoided, and
hoped to brighten him into surrcndering
and giving up the keys without any alarm.
eyes, rather pleasant" responded he,
In a dazed and bewildered manner. He
could not understand what Fry had come
out there for.
Tho action of tho next few moments
was so quick and under such q fever of
excitement that accounts Of both words
and deeds vary widely. Ihave reconciled
them as far as I can, not always follow
Ing my own recollections when the pre-
ponderance of evidence Is strongly against
me.
1--WE are going to take a little walk
this evening-we arc going ont Of here"
continued Fry, standing close to him, and
looking In his eye to see the first symptom
of a motion. I was by his side equally
watchful. There was no fear of an alarm
being given by the colored women. They
were frightened nearly white, but were
our friends, and had enough of their wits
about them to remain silent.
Turner seemed undecided. GLOW about
the guards" he said in n feeble tone. We
were nearly all In tho entry now, for
there had been q slow, almost unconscious
edging forward, and half a dozen low,
quick voices answered, wen attend to
the guard, Mr.. Turner"
"Well, You can so then," he said trem-
bling, while his face seemed to grow ever
whittier, for our looks were not pleasant.
We'll, give us the keys, then, and
you'll not be hurt" said Fry, while Bufrun,
reached out his hand to take them.
Tho action seemed to rouse Turner like
an electric spark. "You can't 10 that
he said, and then sprang back, and opened
his mouth in the cry, "Guar''-when my
hand closed over his mouth and stitled the
tncip!eMt alarm. 1t wss scarcely fair, but
In Il moment tho three Of us were upon
him. Fry had clasped him round the body
and arms in no gentle embrace, ButruM
had wrested away his keys, and was OFF
like a shot and unlocked the doors as if his
life depended upon it, while my hand had
cffec,ualiy stopped all poisc. lie bit my
finger With all his might, but the teeth
were not sharp enough TO do any real
injury, and the other bands were glilin;
down stairs.
Bu1iu!a unlocked al the doors cnsilyii!l
he came to tie last ono, in which were In"
four Union soldiers and tie rebel descrter
Il in the other rooms dared ON
forth! But the descltcr was ~iuteusci,
anXious. He encouraged EuiTlm, saying
Don't hurry. it will come in Il moment
Finally it yielded, and the poor fellow
lung himself u like u shot from q can
non and WAS soon in the front Of the iliylit
but the four others remained inside.
One OF the points about which there is
little difference Of opinion among US i.
whether the attack On tho guard below
was not a few seconds too quick-a mos
natural error under the circumstances. II
all the doors could have been first uu
locked, and all who were willing TO g.
have been ready, tho jailer bound ana
gagged, and the whole number, led b,
those who had been appointed for the
work, had burst upon tho guard together.
it is possible that the victory would have
been more decisive and the number OF cs-
capes larger. But Knight thought, as he
wa gliding cautiously down the stair
way, that there was a movement in the
group Of guards by the front cato indicat-
ing alarm. In this case the attack could
not DO delayed, and it was made with sur.
passing boldness and success.
Porter and Bensinger led at tho back
door. The former grabbed the gun of a
guard that stood near, and jcrkcd so Lard
that the guard, suddenly letting go, Porter
fell fat, but was on his feet in q moment.
Bensingcr caught tho sentinel who was
disarmed and held him perfectly quiet.
Another enemy was In the corner OF the
yard, and, seeing the rush. brought his
gun up, but before he could lake aim Por-
tors musket had covered him, and he was
emphatically and briefly warned that any
movement would forfeit his life. The third
guard in the back yard was at once over
powered and knocked down, though not
seriously injured. and in a moment the
victory was completely won IN this quar-
ter. 1t was time, for matters had not
gone a we'll in the front yard.
Knight and Brown vent down the
stairway a. softly as cats, but the passage
behind them was filed for q little time
with those who were to make the attack
at the back door, which left them without
support, two men against four, and the
latter armed. But they did not for a mo-
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